Yorkshire scaffolder carried out 'most sickening abuse imaginable' when he raped young child and shared indecent images of children with chatroom paedophiles

Lewis Tupper, 25, came to the attention of the National Crime Agency when he started using an online messaging site Kik to share indecent images of youngsters he claimed to have abused.

Not only did he share these images with others in the chatroom who said they wanted to rape the child, but he also posted images of himself committing sexual acts.

Detectives from the NCA attended his home in Lupset, Wakefield, where they seized a number of items and he was arrested at the scene, admitting: "I hold my hands up, I have done it."

When interviewed by officers he admitted to making and possessing the images, but said he had been forced to do it as he had been blackmailed.

Tupper pleaded guilty to the rape of a child under 13, two counts of creating indecent images of children and two counts of distributing indecent images of children.

He also pleaded guilty other offences of dangerous driving and driving without a licence and insurance in an incident back in December 2020.

In mitigation, defence barrister Richard Reed said Tupper was only young and had one previous conviction for an unrelated offence.

He said: "This course of offending was a catastrophic mistake and we want to reassure the court he will do absolutely anything to ensure he is never back before the court again.

"The majority of the population will find these offences abhorrent as do his own family. They are supportive of him but they are disgusted by his behaviour.

Tupper will serve 10 years in prison and be placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

The judge said: "These offences would cause any right-thinking, normal person to be absolutely sickened. It's only necessary to read through your chat logs on the Kik account that recognise you and others were determined and committed paedophiles.

"I do not accept the proposition you put forward that you were in any way blackmailed into committing these offences. You accept you will not be sentenced on that basis. It is quite clear what you were doing was done willingly and with great pleasure. You were doing this because you enjoyed the abuse.

"This is the most sickening abuse imaginable.

"You possess strong paedophilic tendencies."

Tupper was also banned from driving for nine years.